


Baby-Blue

by DarchangelSkye



Category: American Idol RPF, Music RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Cuddling & Snuggling, Doctors & Physicians, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet Collection, Hospitals, Light Angst, Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mpreg, Nonnies Made Me Do It, Rings, Shopping Malls, Stuffed Toys, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6993553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarchangelSkye/pseuds/DarchangelSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So an anon had to leave in my inbox, "what do you think it would be like if DalKenzie could get pregnant?" and...well, be careful what you wish for/don't say I didn't warn you ;)<br/>(it's also safe to say this has no connection to the rest of my fics for these two...)</p><p>ETA 2017/12/24: plotbunny in the same "'verse" popped in my head, and since I didn't feel like posting it as a separate story I shall consider this a ficlet collection I'll add to whenever it I feel like it. Huzzah :3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

If they ever ended up going separate ways while out at a mall, one always knew where to find the other when he was done. Call it lover's intuition or just knowing each other so well. If they didn't end up in the music section, Dalton could be checking out wherever the toys and collectables were while MacKenzie would browse through shirts in hopes of scoring an addition to his sizable closet. When Dalton passed by the storefront of one of the more casual wear shops, he could see his boyfriend pulling off hanger after hanger, holding a shirt in front of himself and occasionally looking down a little disgruntled. Yet he had a bag looped on one shoulder, so he must have found something.

Dalton entered the shop to approach Mack, who looked up with an almost sheepish expression- huh, what would he have to be embarrassed about?

"Hey babe, ready to go eat?"

"Uh, sure." Mack fiddled with his glasses on his nose- there was the nervous mood again- and put the shirt back. "Find anything?"

"Eh, just grabbed the new NME and Guitar World. Looks like you lucked out better," he thumbed to the bag. Whatever was in there wasn't heavy-looking but still a little bulky.

"Y-yeah." MacKenzie slipped a hand over Dalton's, same warm and comfortable fit as always, and gave it a squeeze before they walked out the store. Every little touch was loved.

The pair were halfway to the food court when Dalton felt the gentle nudge against the side of his head that was MacKenzie leaning. His hair was always so soft... "Penny for those thoughts," he whispered and reached his free hand to brush that little spot on Mack's temple that never failed to pulse.

MacKenzie hummed at the contact but still bit the side of his lower lip. "Um...well, I was gonna give you this when we got home, but since you already saw it-" he let his hand go and fumbled about (nervously?) in his bag.

Aww, Mack had gotten him a surprise present. He held his tongue on saying it wasn't necessary and just waited for his boyfriend to finish fumbling for a- brown, fluffy...thing.

MacKenzie held the item out, still looking sheepish, and gingerly Dalton took it into his hold with a "hm?" of confusion. 

The brown thing was actually a teddy bear, not representative of any cartoon character or such, just a generic bear with tiny maroon glass eyes and a lopsided stitched smile. Dalton idly squeezed the bear's paws and tummy like expecting it to burst into cheesy song right here in the middle of the mall but it didn't, just sat there being soft and squishy. Its only adornment was a checkered baby-blue bowtie.

Dalton looked again at the stitched smile that was like the bear had some sort of secret before being eye to eye with Mack again. His normally sun-touched skin had paled, but why?

"Do you like it?"

"Well, yeah, he's cute," Dalton turned the bear over, looking for some tag of explanation and finding none. "Can I ask _why_ you got it?"

MacKenzie looked to his feet, bit his lip again, and gave a soft sigh before looking back up. "OK, you know I had that checkup the other day because I kept getting woozy and tired?"

"Uh huh," Dalton nodded in remembering. Mack had come home with a little smile and said it was 'just a 24-hour bug thing'- but had it been really? He quickly felt a cold sweat of panic and curled his fingers deeper into the bear's fur. Please not his heart, anything but his heart, they were building such a beautiful life together and Dalton couldn't bear the idea of his love being ripped from him-

"Well..." And that smile returned when MacKenzie laid his palms flat over his stomach, long fingers linking together.

Dalton felt his world come to a pause- not a stop, just a pause- as he focused on those fingers and that smile. It was so small and sweet and saying so much...and when he looked again to the teddy bear everything clicked into place and a flood of emotion stirred behind his eyes.

He felt MacKenzie's arms quickly fling around his neck and that sweet face nuzzling and warm breath as he asked over and over, "Dalt...Dalton, are you OK? Is it OK?"

Oh, more than OK. Dalton sniffed deeply to try getting his emotions under control and he gently returned the embrace. Around them the world kept moving, but this was a spot of tranquility where time stood still. "Did...did they say how far-?" his voice was just above a whisper.

"About five-six weeks." MacKenzie gently scritched the back of his hair and kissed his cheek. "Y'think we're ready to be daddies?"

Holy cow, there was that word, making everything so real. Dalton slid his arms from the embrace to clutch the bear to his chest and looked to Mack's stomach again. Obviously no bump yet, but still beautiful to look at. "Yeah-" Not that'd be completely easy, but they had a good home...and loving parents to provide the best example.

Parents. Oh god. Wow. "Um...could I..." Dalton vaguely gestured around MacKenzie's waist.

"Please?" His eyes were as soft and shining as the bear's. Adorable.

Carefully Dalton spread the fingers of his palm and settled it just above his boyfriend's navel. Of course there wasn't a kick or even a flutter to feel yet, but still warm as if blessed by magic. "Hey, you. Welcome," he couldn't help his smile.

MacKenzie leaned close to kiss the tip of his nose. "I love you."

"I love you, too." And he truly meant it. He took MacKenzie's wrist to tug him in the opposite direction of the food court.

"Dalt, where are you going?-"

Dalton looked over his shoulder to the sweet face he loved. "I'm taking the both of you to a much nicer cafe to eat-" his grin widened at realizing what he said- "then we gotta go home and start plannin' some things out." He squeezed the bear's tummy again, knowing among the first of those plans was a sweet baby-blue bassinet for this to sit in.


	2. Chapter 2

MacKenzie was exhausted, but sleep was impossible. Even if the building was supposed to have a quiet atmosphere, there were too many noises around for his liking- footfalls in the hallways, doctors being paged over speakers, distant moans of others in pain, and the incessant beeping of the monitor beside him.

This was a complete turnaround from how his day started. He and Dalton had woken up in each other's arms as usual after falling asleep from their oh-so-gentle lovemaking the night before, and Dalton had left soon after as he was taking an earlier shift so he could take MacKenzie out for dinner tonight. Mack had been fine during his typical morning routine, but after lunch as he was about to take his afternoon walk, he was struck with a queasiness and tiredness he didn't think possible. Like, run over by a freight train, stuffed in a trunk, and chopped into pieces queasy and tired. One phone call to his doctor later and next thing he knew a car had picked him up to take him here. Mack was certain there'd been a flurry of tests and what-not in between his arrival and being stuck in this bed, but he was too tired to register it all.

He didn't have to guess Dalton had been notified by now, but he had an idea he wasn't going home just yet. Being in a bed instead of one of the comfortable medical recliners signaled this would be an overnighter. There went tonight's nice plans, ruined by his fickle system. MacKenzie sighed and laid his hands over his blanketed waist, where thankfully movement still registered underneath.

The past few months had been a whirlwind, but unlike today's flurry he'd actually enjoyed it. He couldn't believe he'd been so nervous about telling Dalton he was pregnant, because the young man turned out to be the best baby-daddy anyone could ask for. He'd take extra shifts to have more money on hand, come with MacKenzie to every possible doctor appointment, massage his aching muscles, and overall just be sweet and attentive and loving. Many people didn't like being fussed over while pregnant, especially guys, but Mack was an exception. He knew he was loved and wanted to feel the attention.

It wasn't just Dalton who'd been joyful. After their respective parents had gotten past the initial shock they were going to be grandparents at an earlier age than expected, they'd helped out by providing most of the furniture for the baby's room, including a rocking chair that had been in MacKenzie's family for ages. Many a time he'd sit in there gently rocking with his hands on his belly and daydreaming about his little one, and soon he'd see that Dalton was watching him from the doorway and smiling in love. Oh, he wanted to be in that chair right now... "I'm sorry, baby," MacKenzie whispered to his child and burrowed his cheek in the pillow.

After another long moment of just laying in dull exhaustion, he heard a rapid squeak of shoes down the hallway. Doctors weren't supposed to be running, so it was probably someone rushing to their loved one...must be a very special loved one-

Into the doorway bolted a panting, slender young man in the familiar music shop uniform of a red polo shirt and blue jeans, customized with checkered sneakers and innumerable wristbands and the dog-tags that swayed and clicked together. MacKenzie was grateful he could feel his heart soar, because the rest of him was too tired to move.

"Mack-" Dalton heaved a breath and dashed to the bedside. Soon MacKenzie was wrapped in a familiar hold, one arm cuddled around his shoulders and other hand on his stomach. Nobody could say that Dalton didn't care about his family, and at that thought Mack had to close his eyes to keep them from spilling over. 

"I'm okay, Daddy," he said in the low and gentle voice he used to talk for the baby during the quiet nights when they were snuggled together on the couch- usually with some cheesy TV movie playing half-forgotten in the background, baby catalogs and parenting books scattered about, and Dalton's hands lovingly splayed on his waist to feel for kicks or coo the most adorable gibberish ever that betrayed the soft side behind his punk exterior. And of course MacKenzie was too in love to not play along.

But was everything really okay? He failed at not shuddering in the embrace. 

"Ah, there you are," a woman's voice spoke from the doorway and the couple turned their attention. MacKenzie vaguely felt that he recognized the doctor stepping in, because in his hazy state he'd wondered how someone with such silver hair had such a young-looking face- and that'd probably been his last coherent thought before the flurry of tests. "Dr. Cavanaugh, Mr. Rapattoni. I attended to your partner when he came in," she extended a hand.

"Thank you." Dalton took the hand long enough for a basic shake and went right back to holding MacKenzie. Thank goodness he didn't feel smothered, but their own bed would've been a lot more comfortable...

Dr. Cavanaugh sat and opened the folder she'd been carrying. "How are you feeling, Mr. Bourg?"

"Still tired," he muttered.

"Well, I'll get right to the point on why that is. Your labs revealed below-average hemoglobin and ferritin levels, indicative of irony-deficiency anemia. It's more common in female pregnancies, but men with thin frames such as yours can also be at risk."

She might as well have told MacKenzie he'd failed at looking after his baby. He heaved a deep sigh to hold back the sob threatening to build. Still his voice shook when he protested, "I've been gaining weight, I swear." Yeah, his stomach did look a bit smaller than someone at this stage was supposed to be, but the weight he had gained had decided to fill out the rest of his thinness first.

"Mack, shh, babe, it's okay," Dalton murmured and caressed over the bump.

"I empathize with your frustration, Mr. Bourg, but at least we've caught this early enough we can improve matters before your surgery. A minor diet adjustment and iron supplementation prescription..." Scribble scribble in Dr. Cavanaugh's folder. "How is your exercise level?"

MacKenzie sighed and untangled his arms from Dalton's embrace; not that he wasn't enjoying the hug but he felt his hair sweat-plastered to his forehead and wanted to sweep it away. "Oh, I'll just...pop in my earphones and walk around the neighborhood after lunch...that's what I was going to do before I felt like this." Needless to say that was something else he'd rather be doing at this moment, being content in the sunshine and with beautiful tunes in his ears. No worries, no insecurities, not even the odd stare from the more old-fashioned people in the neighborhood bothered him.

Dr. Cavanaugh nodded and scribbled some more. "Mr. Rapattoni, if you could just come with me for a moment-"

"What?-" The sweat on Mack's skin instantly chilled, he had to be left alone in here again-

Dalton cupped his face and kissed the bridge of his nose, a favorite spot to get kisses on. "I'll be right back, babe, I promise," he whispered. MacKenzie looked deep into those glass-green eyes, his mind knowing Dalton was telling the truth but his nerves saying otherwise. Dalton squeezed his hand and he and Dr. Cavanaugh left the room, leaving Mack alone with the baby and his thoughts.

He sat slightly straighter up in bed and curled his hands back on his stomach. Still moving. _Don't be mad at me, baby._

Anemia. Of all the things. Granted, it could've been a lot worse- and that's all Mack was going to think about that, lest he stir up any rotten luck- but he'd been so careful up to this point. Save for all those moments of being tired. They hadn't been their worst until today, but he would get the occasional bouts on other days. But that happened to everyone, why did he have to be the one to get the worst of the deal? MacKenzie huffed, even if it didn't do anything good.

 _Why can't I just go home? I'll be good, I promise._ He turned his head on the pillow, even it wasn't as soft as the pillows at home.

The minutes crawled by, even without a clock in sight. What was taking them so long? Was there something else wrong with him that Dr. Cavanaugh didn't want to say to his face? Was Dalton venting about how much he had to fuss over his pregnant boyfriend and this was just the icing on the cake, couldn't these nine months be over with already?

Mack sniffed. _No, Dalton wouldn't think that. He loves me. He wants this baby, too._ He sniffed again, cursed his haywire emotions, and grudgingly burrowed into the bedding.

After another slow crawl of time, he finally heard a gentle knocking on the doorframe. "Mack? Y'awake?"

He shifted his gaze to see that Dalton had indeed returned, a water jug and glass in his hands and what looked like a stack of magazines tucked under an arm.

"The waiting room just had a bunch of old _New Yorker_ s, so I hopped down to the gift shop to get you somethin' to read."

MacKenzie smiled his gratitude while mentally chastising himself. _See? See how silly you're being? Dalton isn't abandoning you, he's being as doting as ever. You got anemia of the brain, mister._  
The young man approached the bed and Mack decided to make himself useful by reaching for the magazines while the water was poured. The recent _Rolling Stone_ , _Sports Illustrated_ , and a thick _Entertainment Weekly_ purportedly ranking the best comedy flicks greeted him. Yep, Dalton knew his tastes well.

"What did Dr. Cavanaugh have to tell you?" he dared to ask as he accepted the water glass, a coolness in his hands that was a sharp relief from the hospital atmosphere.

Dalton shook his head. "It's just signing the usual overnight forms and telling me about the supplements and that you gotta take. She'll give you more of a run-down in the morning."

Okay. Neither he or the baby were in danger anymore. Okay. He could relax. Okay. Okay. MacKenzie took a long drink from the glass, cool like the sweet tea he occasionally craved but clearer and sharper upon his tongue, the path it traveled down his throat extinguishing the ashes of anxiety simmering inside him. He focused an eye away from the glass to note Dalton watching him intently. There was nothing in the expression to indicate frustration or resigned defeat. Dalton still wanted to be here for him. Okay. Okay.

MacKenzie handed the glass back when he was done and folded his hands on his waist to keep feeling for movement. _Wow, Daddy, that's cold, you woke me up._

"So, how was your day before my body decided to crap out on me?"

The smile he'd fallen in love with popped back on Dalton's face; he loved talking about all the different people that came into the shop. "Sold a drum kit, a keyboard, eight months of guitar lessons, some picks, and a load of vinyl. At this rate I'll definitely have a pay raise before the baby's here." His hands joined Mack's on the blanket, fingers loosely intertwined. 

MacKenzie was so lost in his own sense of guilt he couldn't even think about how nice those large hands felt on him as usual. _Fat good a raise'll do with me holed up in here-_

"This isn't gonna set us back, babe," Dalton interrupted. "Our insurance is good, trust me."

MacKenzie felt a faltering smile. "Are my thoughts that obvious?"

"You think after living together a couple years I wouldn't know what you're thinking?"

The young man gave a quiet "hmm" and leaned back. He set the magazines to the side and partially shut his eyes so he could still see Dalton smiling at him. He was so grateful...so lucky...

Dalton scooted his chair closer and gently rest his head on the blanket. "Not leavin' you two," he murmured and MacKenzie knew he was telling the truth. He laid a hand on his lover's hair to stroke it just like last night. "Mmm..."

Not the most ideal setting, but at least he could relax for now until dinner. He kept his loving gaze and let his thoughts wander about, thoughts of the past and present and future. Concentrate hard enough and he could pretend he heard their little one giggling in bliss that Daddies were here and happy.

Dalton slowly traced a spiral pattern on the blanket covering MacKenzie's waist with a fingertip, and ooh, did that ever feel nice. Mack had felt his sensitivities heighten around the third month, which was supposed to be for protection so you'd be more aware of what was happening around you, but since he hadn't felt in danger up until today, for him heightened senses just meant a whole new world of pleasure. Dalton's gentle hands on his body or lips on his skin or words in his ear, even when they were innocent, bathed him in warm bliss. And yeah, it was a relief to know his weight gain hadn't been a turn-off. Right now Mack gave a soft gurgle of approval and lightly scritched the back of the young man's neck.

Dalton lowly chuckled, and he could feel that on his skin as well. "Gonna hafta take it easy for a bit when we get home," his tone was laced with playful regret.

Mack shrugged. "You holding me is enough."

Dalton sat up, and MacKenzie saw his gaze flickering up and down like inspecting him.

"You really mean it." And there was nothing questioning or accusatory in his voice at all, just breathless love.

Mack nodded, and immediately he was within the wraps of a loving embrace once more. Dalton's arms were home no matter where he was.

"Mmm..." Dalton drew away eventually after a final tender squeeze to his hug and kiss on Mack's cheek. "Y'know, about the restaurant...it wasn't just for a night out. I was thinking of a nice setting for..." He trailed off and his gaze shifted to the side.

MacKenzie sat up, confusion awashing his face. "Setting?" He knew it wasn't an anniversary or either of their birthdays, so what in the world?-

Dalton dug into his pocket. "Been havin' to carry this back an' forth from work 'cause I know you like wandering around in everything when you're bored," he said and passed MacKenzie a small blue box.

Mack suddenly felt a hazy, confusing sensation like being underwater for no reason. He ran fingers over the box's texture while looking at Dalton expectantly. The younger man's expression didn't change.

He lifted the lid. He doubted the ring was a solid ivory, probably just plated, but it gleamed a brilliant white with some iridescent lines catching from the lights. It was odd to see in this moment, and yet one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

"I love you, Mack," Dalton's voice sounded far away. "I've been wanting to build a life with you for a long time. Heck, even the first afternoon when you were in the shop because your boss sent you down to get speakers and you were so shy talking to me, I knew there was something special about you."

Oh, how MacKenzie remembered that afternoon well... He picked up the ring and tilted it back and forth to watch different color threads dance about on the surface. Not putting it on just yet, though. Of course he knew Dalton loved him and he loved the young man back, but decisions had to be made for the right reason.

"This isn't about making an honest man out of me, is it?" was his half-teasing question. 

Fortunately Dalton smiled as he shook his head and waved a nonchalant hand. "Nah, it wouldn't matter if we got married after the baby's here. Though I gotta admit, all this has really made me grow up in the past months."

He wasn't the only one. MacKenzie laid a hand on his waist and felt the gentle rumbling as Dalton kept talking. 

"But the bottom line is, I love you. We get each other, we accept each other, we care about each other. I wanna make sure you stay happy and loved and-" The young man cupped hands over his nose and mouth like muffling a sob, but the only sound to escape was a gentle sigh. "Dammit, I had the perfect speech all ready for the restaurant an' here I am tripping over my tongue."

Not that MacKenzie cared. Even if he did have a minor soft spot for the pomp of ceremony and a restaurant proposal right out of a movie would've had him in a cloud of dopey bliss, somehow right now just felt more...sincere, more real. Dalton was speaking from his heart and not a script, and he meant every delightfully fumbled word. "The thought that counts, babe." Mack took off his glasses to rub away what was either a sweatdrop or a joyful tear and felt a genuine smile.

"So is that a yes?" Dalton's smile was small now, but still happy and beautiful. 

"You bet." All the same, MacKenzie set the ring back in the box and within Dalton's reach; the young man still deserved to do something traditional in this moment. 

He took the hint and held MacKenzie's hand in a gentle grip, plucked the ring back out from the box and slid it onto the correct finger. Mack watched this ritual in fascination and love, his mind a tumble of thoughts on how mesmerizing the colors were even under these harsh hospital lights, how the band fit perfectly on him, whether the baby would have his or Dalton's hands, and oh god how he was so in love...

He tilted his hand left to right once the ring was on and Dalton cuddled close again. "I love you," the young man murmured into his neck and kissed his jawline.

MacKenzie felt the same warmth from within he figured would've happened if Dalton had said and done this in a more comfortable setting. Maybe that showed they were really meant for each other. "Love you." He set the ringed hand flat on his waist, happy at the tumble of movement within, and stroked where he could reach on Dalton's arm. Dalton. His fiance. God, that felt good to think about. "Jus' one little request 'bout the wedding..."

"Anything," Dalton curled into the strokes like a content housepet.

"Can it just be simple, like, with our families? We could do the big party later with our friends..." Mack trailed off; he just knew- call it a premonition- that he was really going to have his hands full with this little one even if he wanted and loved it so much, and trying to handle a full-sized ceremony and reception in one day even if it'd be after he was all healed from the surgery would be supremely anxiety inducing. Not that Dalton wouldn't be by his side, but nevertheless, looking after a child and keeping his own health intact on top of it...

Fortunately Dalton nodded. "Of course." Hands linked and he kissed MacKenzie's temple. "I'm so lucky to still have you."

"Not goin' anywhere." Not on his life or the baby's. He shut his eyes and concentrated on the soft blanket, the gentle roughness of Dalton's skin, their quiet breathing, heartbeats yet to be broken, little wriggles from their sweet angel, and squeaks down the halls of dinner carts being rolled into rooms. Even if these were less than perfect circumstances, MacKenzie felt optimism they'd work through it just like they worked through everything else, together. He could stay wrapped in the warmth of the family he loved for just a moment longer.


End file.
